


Marry Me

by buckyismymainman



Category: A Court of Thorns and Roses Series - Sarah J. Maas
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Inspired by Music, Minor Elucien, Song Fic: Marry Me by Thomas Rhett
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-24
Updated: 2020-11-24
Packaged: 2021-03-09 22:15:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,103
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27703328
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/buckyismymainman/pseuds/buckyismymainman
Summary: Based on Thomas Rhett's song Marry Me.  Elain is getting married to Lucien, but there's just one problem: her best friend is absent.  What happens when Elain finally learns that Azriel's been in love with her this entire time?
Relationships: Elain Archeron/Azriel
Comments: 6
Kudos: 18





	Marry Me

_She wants to get married, she wants it perfect_

_She wants her grandaddy preaching the service_

_Yeah, she wants magnolias out in the country_

_Not too many people, save her daddy some money_

Azriel sat back and watched Elain come out of the dressing room. She was practically glowing as her sisters and friends cooed over her. Azriel had to admit she did look beautiful in the pure white dress that accentuated her curves and flowed around her as if it had been made to fit her specifically. He could already imagine her walking down the aisle toward him, a shy smile on her perfect face.

Elain seemed to notice that the only person in the room who hadn’t said anything was Azriel and she stepped over to him, a tentative smile on her face, “What do you think Az?”

His mouth went dry and he floundered trying to find the right words to tell her just how beautiful he thought she was. “You look breathtaking, El,” he told her after a moment’s hesitation. “It’s perfect for you.”

Her smile only seemed to grow and he felt his throat tightening at the sight. Elain disappeared back into the dressing room to try on some more dresses and Feyre came to sit beside Azriel. “I know this is hard Azriel. And I’m sorry you have to go through this,” Feyre had known about Azriel’s feelings for her sister for some time. She had even tried setting them up but it never worked.

He looked at Feyre and offered her a tiny smile of reassurance, “It’s all right, Feyre.”

Elain came back out and there was more cooing. Azriel quickly excused himself not wanting to hear the others say how lucky Lucien was to be marrying someone as beautiful as her. He wanted Elain to be happy and he wasn’t going to ruin this moment for her by the dark cloud that seemed to hang over him.

What Azriel didn’t realize was that Elain noticed when he made a hasty exit from the store and made his way down the street.

She grabbed Feyre by the hand and dragged her into the dressing room, waving away the attendant by saying she needed a moment alone with her sister. “Is there something wrong with Az?”

Feyre tried to smile, but Elain knew that whatever was about to come out of her sister’s mouth would be a lie, “Yeah, he just has a lot on his mind with work. The Shadowsinger’s job is never done.”

Elain wanted to press the issue, but she knew that Feyre would never tell her what she was trying to hide. She would try to talk to Azriel later and see if he would tell her the truth.

_I'll wear my black suit, black tie, hide out in the back_

_I'll do a strong shot of whiskey straight out the flask_

_I'll try to make it through without crying so nobody sees_

_Yeah, she wanna get married_

_But she don't wanna marry me_

He could remember when he first met Elain. How purely human she had been. Engaged to a man who despised fae and Prythian. Then she had been thrown in the Cauldron and come out broken from the trauma. He helped her heal, helped her grow into her new fae life. And in that time he slowly forgot his feelings for Mor and began harboring feelings for her.

It was foolish. She had a mate. One she was currently about to marry.

But he couldn’t help how bright and beautiful and soothing her presence was for him. While he had been a balm for her brokeness she had been one for him as well. He would consider her one of his best friends and he didn’t want to give her up, but he would if it meant she was happy. Lucien made her smile and he knew the bond was special.

If they could make it work then more power to them. Everyone deserved to find the person that was made for them.

There was a knock on his door and he opened it to find Elain standing there. She was wearing a blue dress that resembled the color of his siphons. He had had it made for her on her birthday a few years prior. He could still remember the way she had flung her arms around him telling him how much she loved it.

“Why did you leave earlier?” She demanded. She wasn’t smiling now, in fact, she seemed rather mad at him.

Azriel blinked, this wasn’t exactly what he had been expecting when he had opened his door, “I had some matters to attend to. I’m sorry I didn’t get a chance to tell you before I left.”

“That’s a lie,” she said, her frown deepening. “What aren’t you telling me?”

“Nothing,” he said. “I’m sorry but I’m tired, Elain. I have more Court business to attend to tomorrow, so I need to get some rest. We’ll talk later.” She looked like she wanted to protest some more, but he had closed his door before she could say another word.

He rested his forehead against the wooden door and let out a soft sigh in hopes that Elain couldn’t hear him. Just a few more weeks and this nightmare would be over and then it would be another five hundred years before he could get over her.

Maybe he could get Rhys to relocate him.

_I remember the night when I almost kissed her_

_Yeah, I kinda freaked out, we'd been friends for forever_

_And I always wondered if she felt the same way_

_When I got the invite, I knew it was too late_

_And I know her daddy's been dreading this day_

_Oh, but he don't know he ain't the only one giving her away_

TWO YEARS PRIOR

Azriel took Elain to a field of wildflowers on the edge of Velaris. He knew the moment he had found it that she would love it, and he had been right.

She had raced into the field and immediately began admiring the flowers, telling him about each one and any properties they had. He listened intensely as she spoke, soaking up every word that she deigned to tell him. He filed everything away for later if he ever needed to know. 

Bending he picked a couple of smaller flowers and wove them into her hair. She had blushed when he did that, and he let his fingers gently brush her cheek. They were standing so close to one another that he could smell her perfume and feel the heat from her body. He glanced at her lips and slowly bent down to kiss her. He was close when he heard Cassian shouting his name.

He cursed and broke away glancing at his brother who told him that there was a problem in the Hewn City and Rhys needed them as soon as possible.

Azriel had looked back at Elain, but she had merely said, “Go. I’ll be all right here.”

He had taken to the skies and nearly shoved Cassian out of them for ruining the moment.

_I'll wear my black suit, black tie, hide out in the back_

_I'll do a strong shot of whiskey straight out the flask_

_I'll try to make it through without crying so nobody sees_

_Yeah, she wanna get married_

_But she don't wanna marry me_

_Bet she got on her dress now, welcoming the guests now_

_I could try to find her, get it off of my chest now_

_But I ain't gonna mess it up, so I'll wish her the best now_

The day was finally here. Elain had picked the fields outside of Velaris that he had shown her all those years ago. It was a perfect spot for a wedding. Everything had been set up and people were arriving, bringing gifts for the almost mated couple. Feyre glanced at Azriel worriedly as he hung back, his shadows seeming to circle him more closely.

“Az,” she said.

“Don’t,” he told her. “Please.”

Feyre nodded, “Maybe you shouldn’t be here. I know she would want you here, but if it’s only going to hurt you then maybe you should find somewhere else to be.”

Rhys stepped over to them, an arm instantly going around Feyre, “I know how you feel, Az. Trust me.”

“Yeah, but at least you got to be with her in the end,” Azriel said bitterly. He shook his head, he didn’t want to snap at his friends like this, it wasn’t their fault. “I’m sorry. You’re right. I’ll be somewhere in the city.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out the box that contained Elain’s gift. “Give this to Elain before the service. It’s meant for her to wear.” Then he was gone.

Feyre and Rhys exchanged glances, but she went to find her sister who was in one of the tents putting the finishing touches on her makeup. Feyre smiled at her sister and told her how beautiful she looked. She held out the box from Azriel and said, “Az wanted me to give you this, he said you were meant to wear it. And he sends his apologies because he had to race off.”

“Again? Couldn’t it have waited?” Elain asked.

“Duty calls,” Feyre said cryptically. “Open the gift let’s see what he got you.”

Elain opened it and saw flowers made from pearls, moonstones, and sapphires nestled in the box. The delicate pins reminded her of the flowers he had placed in her hair that day he brought her to the field. She covered her mouth with a hand, tears filling her eyes. Nesta and Feyre shared a look with one another. Elain looked up at her sister, “Why did he leave?”

“I told you--”

“I want the truth!” She demanded.

Feyre bit her lip and said, “He’s in love with you and he couldn’t watch you get married to another male.”

Elain’s breath hitched and she clutched the box a bit tighter, “Where is he?”

_So I'm in my black suit, black tie, hiding out in the back_

_Doing a strong shot of whiskey straight out the flask_

_I'll try to make it through without crying so nobody sees_

_Yeah, she wanna get married_

_Yeah, she gonna get married_

_But she ain't gonna marry me_

_Whoa, she ain't gonna marry me, no_

Azriel was laying on his couch staring up at the ceiling when someone began banging on his door. He sat up in confusion because there was only one person in the entire city who knew where he lived. Standing he quickly made his way to the door and threw it open to find Elain standing there in her wedding dress. “Elain, what are you doing here?!”

“Why didn’t you tell me you loved me?” She practically yelled at him. “Why?!”

He blinked, “El, you shouldn’t be here. It’s your wedding day, Lucien is waiting for you.” He went to close the door, but she threw out her hand and stopped him. “Elain, please go back to your mate.”

“And what if I don’t want to?” She asked. “What if I’m right where I want to be?” She took her hands in his, “Az, I love you too.”

It was like she had stolen all of his breath, “You don’t mean that. You have Lucien.”

“I _had_ Lucien,” she said. “But it never felt right, not like it did with you. Azriel, you’re the only person I want to be with. But when you never tried to kiss me again and never brought it up I gave up hope that you wanted to be with me as more as a friend. Then you left the ceremony and I made Feyre tell me the truth and I realized that I couldn’t marry a man I didn’t love fully. Bond or no bond.” She sighed, “I think Lucien and I were just kidding ourselves when we tried to make this work.”

He studied her, waiting for her to evaporate and for him to wake up on his couch, but the moment never came, “Where do we go from here?”

“We take this one day at a time, but I kind of want that kiss we never got to have,” she told him.

Azriel cupped her face in his hands, holding her gently, “That I can oblige.”

When their lips met it was as if the world righted itself and everything made sense. One day at a time worked for him as long as he never had to let her go again.

**Author's Note:**

> This song came up randomly when I was on YouTube and the idea for this fic popped into my head. I hope you enjoyed it!


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